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Immunological Methods for the Detection of Binders in Ancient Tibetan Murals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2019

Meng Wu
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Xinhui Zou
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Bingjian Zhang*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China Department of Cultural Heritage and Museology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
Fan Zhao
Affiliation:
Sichuan Provincial Institute of Antiquity and Archaeology, Chengdu 310014, China
Zhenbin Xie
Affiliation:
Sichuan Provincial Institute of Antiquity and Archaeology, Chengdu 310014, China
*
*Author for correspondence: Bingjian Zhang, E-mail: zhangbiji@zju.edu.cn
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Abstract

Tibetan mural samples from the Jiazhaer mountain cave were studied using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM). Samples containing protein binders were first identified using ELISA, and then IFM was used to determine the location of protein binders. Using these methods, we discovered gelatin and casein in samples from wall murals, distributed in both red and black pigments. We excluded the possibility of contamination by conducting further experiments where simulated samples were spiked with milk. We conclude that both gelatin and casein were used as binders in the pigments of the Tibetan Buddhist murals in the Jiazhaer (Transliteration from Tibetan) mountain cave. This is the first evidence of casein being used as a binder in Chinese mural pigments.

Type
Micrographia
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2019 

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